Light emitters, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or LED chips are solid state devices that convert electrical energy into light. LED chips can be utilized in light emitter components for providing different colors and patterns of light useful in various lighting and optoelectronic applications. For example, light emitter components can be used in various LED light bulb and light fixture applications and are developing as replacements for incandescent, fluorescent, and metal halide high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting applications.
Manufacturers of LED lighting products are constantly seeking ways to reduce their cost in order to provide a lower initial cost to customers, and encourage the adoption of LED products. Brighter, more efficient LED components, which incorporate simpler electrical connections and use less expensive materials, can allow lighting manufacturers to use fewer LED chips to get the same brightness at a lower cost and/or increase brightness levels using the same LED chip count and power. Such improvements can enable delivery of improved light emitter components and/or systems for less total cost than other solutions.
One problem associated with conventional components which incorporate light emitters, such as LED chips, is that the LED chips are attached directly to surfaces of a printed circuit board (PCB) or metal core printed circuit board (MCPCB), which are expensive and include features which interfere with and/or absorb light. One solution to this problem includes depositing electrical traces directly over a ceramic panel, and then attaching the LED chips to the electrical traces. This, however, is disadvantageous as it requires electroplating traces down the entire length of the panel. This increases the cost of manufacturing the LED component, as it requires metallic plating materials and processing equipment. In addition, the metallic traces decrease optical efficiency by absorbing and/or interfering with light. Thus, this solution falls short of achieving a desired decrease in manufacturing costs and/or improved optical efficiency.
Thus, despite the availability of various light emitter components in the marketplace, a need remains for brighter, more cost-effective light emitter components and/or systems which consume the same and/or less power as compared to conventional components. Such components, systems, and methods can also make it easier for end-users to justify switching to LED products from a return on investment or payback perspective.